This invention relates to a method for separating trace amounts of water-immiscible, volatile organic liquids from an aqueous medium wherein the organics are dissolved. The invention is further directed to achieving these objects at about ambient temperature for the aqueous medium. The invention is especially useful for removing trace amounts of organic contaminants from groundwater and process streams.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,713,089 describes a stripping method for removing volatile organic liquids from aqueous media by in situ generation of water vapor utilized as a stripping gas under vacuum. Overhead vapors from the stripping column are compressed to liquefy most of the overhead vapors to produce a condensate containing water, water-immiscible liquid organics and some noncondensable components. The organics coalesce to provide a separate decantable organic phase.
A major limitation in the application of this method is the relatively large compressor required to compress vapor volumes to maintain stripping efficiencies in the stripping column.